Heretofore, orthodontic devices have included such devices as expanders, for expanding the maxillary arch, and other devices such as traditional braces for advancing the front teeth. Optimal treatment of a patient may often require both expansion and advancement. Present practice is expensive, inconvenient, inefficient, and requires excessive time for effective treatment.
Various devices for expanding the maxillary arch by causing lateral movement of the molars and bicuspids, and possibly the canines, have been disclosed, These include those shown in the Fisher U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,023 and the Nord U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,914. Fisher's device uses a series of closed flap springs to push against and move certain individual teeth, including the incisors. The Nord device utilizes bands which are cemented to the molars. The device also has an arch wire that presses against the lingual surfaces of the incisors.
John Mew's Stage I Biobloc appliance can simultaneously advance the front teeth while expanding the maxilla laterally. The Stage I Biobloc uses a Crozat Clasp, whereas the present Orthodontic Appliance uses a Hang Clasp in its place, and the Stage I Biobloc has a very different appearance from that of the orthodontic appliance of this invention. Mew's Stage 1 Biobloc has five (5) wires to advance and align the incisor teeth, whereas the present orthodontic appliance has one advancing wire. It is much simpler to adjust the one wire than to simultaneously adjust five wires.
A three-way sagittal appliance can also simultaneously advance the front teeth while expanding the maxilla laterally. The advancement is done with two (2) screws which, with the usually accepted activation schedule (one activation every four days), will take more than twice as long to advance the teeth as the present invention.
Each of these above-mentioned devices are all deficient in being able to expand the maxilla laterally and advance the maxillary anterior teeth to their proper position in space at the same time.